James Cook
- "Well, sir, he's very intelligent and ambitious. His knowledge of seamanship is second-to-none! And if I trust my favourite barmaid in Halifax, he also just became captain of his own man-o-war. He's also an expert at deciphering secret codes... A man with such a skill is certainly an asset to our cause."
- ―Christopher Gist describing Cook to Shay Cormac, 1758.[src]
James Cook (7 November 1728 – 14 February 1779) was a British explorer, cartographer, the captain of the Royal Navy Man O' War, HMS Pembroke, and an unwitting ally of the Templar Order.
Despite working with the Templars during the Seven Years' War, Cook was unaware of the Order's existence as they believed recruiting him would be too risky, due to what Christopher Gist, who throroughly admired him and his wide set of skills, described as his "annoying habit of strict honesty and a total lack of anything resembling guile".
Cook eventually began to suspect that Shay Cormac and Gist were part of a larger group, however, he believed they received orders from the King, rather than a secret organization.
He sailed on the Pacific Ocean from as early as 1770, roughly knowing the locations of its islands from previous Dutch, French and Portuguese navigators, first dated from the early 16th century onward.
Captain Cook later became famous for his voyages and exploration of the Pacific, where he explored and charted most of the islands and their populations, including, Australia, Tahiti, New Zealand, Easter Island, and Hawaii, where he was killed by the natives. Such was his legacy that Cook's image became deified on certain islands, including Hawaii itself.
Personality and characteristics
Cook was a highly intelligent and skillful navigator and explorer, who nonetheless remained a man of humble character. He was also amiable and always willing to aid Shay Cormac whenever the two crossed paths. However, due to Cook's inability to keep secrets, the Templars elected to keep the captain in the dark about their true allegiance.
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